Sat, 1 Nov 2008, 05:18 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Eighth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.082/303.23, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.094/301.60, Was #7
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.178/289.32, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.100/297.75, Was #10

1:35 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 28 percent, barometer 27.96 inches, adjusted altitude 4,108 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Hight moves up a couple spots with a clean pass. It looked like Densham had a cylinder out on the top half.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.905 sec., 330ft-2.313, 660ft-3.281/263.31mph.
Gary Densham's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.344, 660ft-3.342/253.33mph.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.141/297.81, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.523/128.64, Was #13
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.160/300.20, Now #14; No Prior Run

Both cars are in for now, and both cars looked better than the numbers show.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.341, 660ft-3.325/258.42mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.361, 660ft-3.350/259.76mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 6.143/111.57, Now #16; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.261/280.78, Now #15; No Prior Run

Bode struck the tires at about 250 feet. Johnson wasn't running on all eight for some of this pass.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.408, 660ft-3.416/252.10mph.

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Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.121/304.12, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 6.547/99.23, Now #18; No Prior Run

Bartone overpowered the track just before the 330-foot mark. No apparent problems for Toliver and he bumps his way into the field for now.

Jerry Toliver's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.343, 660ft-3.320/261.93mph.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.168/303.30, Now #16; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 5.467/130.96, Now #18; No Prior Run

Tasca lost traction just past the 330-foot mark. No visible problems for Head.

Jim Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.385, 660ft-3.366/261.27mph.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.140/299.00, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.100/298.60, Was #9
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.093/300.80, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.119/301.40, Was #12

A good looking pass for both drivers.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.346, 660ft-3.328/259.81mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.906 sec., 330ft-2.311, 660ft-3.286/261.47mph.

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Left Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.170/285.95, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.096/308.07, Was #9
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.658/176.58, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.115/302.08, Was #12

Arend started to lose traction at the 660-foot mark. No problems for Neff although he may have lifted just a little early.

Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.334, 660ft-3.328/253.42mph.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.117/302.82, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.090/304.05, Was #6
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 5.387/126.79, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.093/301.94, Was #7

Scelzi hazed the tires at about 500 feet. A trouble-free pass for Wilkerson.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.338, 660ft-3.313/261.07mph.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.085/306.19, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.082/301.60, Was #4
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.112/305.01, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.089/305.01, Was #5

A good looking side-by-side drag race!

Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.906 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.291/264.49mph.
Ashley Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.339, 660ft-3.312/262.39mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.100/303.50, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.080/305.56, Was #2
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.086/302.96, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.062/307.37, Was #1

Another good looking pair to bring this Funny Car qualifying session to a close.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.899 sec., 330ft-2.316, 660ft-3.297/261.07mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.311, 660ft-3.284/262.69mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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